Chane Behanan has been suspended indefinitely from the Louisville basketball team

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Defending its NCAA championship became considerably more difficult for the University of Louisville basketball team Thursday: Rick Pitino said that Chane Behanan, the team's junior forward, has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of university policy.

Pitino said that it was possible but not probable for Behanan to return to the team. Pitino said that athletic director Tom Jurich made the decision. Behanan no longer lives in Minardi Hall with the rest of the basketball team. He will not practice or participate in team activities during the suspension.

Pitino declined to identify the rules that Behanan's violated.

"It's multiple things," Pitino said. "Don't ask what it is, we're not going to tell you … Chane wouldn't hurt a fly. He's a good person. But it's very difficult for him to follow rules."

Behanan is a 6-foot-6, 245-pound junior from Cincinnati. He has started 74 games during his first two seasons for the Cardinals, averaging 9.6 points and 7 rebounds over his career. He looked impressive during Louisville's first two pre-season scrimmages and said that he had worked to improve his jump shot over the summer.

Behanan had 15 points and 12 rebounds in Louisville's 82-76 victory over Michigan in the NCAA championship game last spring. He was named to the all-Final Four team. On Wednesday Behanan was named to the American Conference pre-season first team by the league coaches.

Behanan did not play in Louisville's first two exhibition games because of a suspension last season, and Pitino did not allow him to speak with the media for more than a month.

On Saturday, Behanan was included in the team picture that was taken prior to U of L's media day at the KFC Yum! Center. He was asked how he made it through the 2012 suspension.

"My teammates," he said.

Was it difficult?

"It was," Behanan said. "I had raised eyebrows, too. I didn't want all that bad attention on my end. We got through it. It's cool now. Hopefully this year I can be a success and a clean slate."

Behanan was also asked if he planned to leave for the NBA after the 2013-14 season.

"I might come back, to be honest with you," he said.

Pitino said that Behanan moved out of the dorm four days ago and that Behanan was given a list of rules to follow. He has already violated those rules once. Pitino said Behanan would not play in November but that it was possible, but unlikely that he would return in December.

"I don't have a lot of confidence that he's going to do the things that we need him to do," Pitino said.